Black and white fine-art photographer Cole Thompson once said that a photograph consists of 1/3 the shot (technique), 1/3 post-processing and 1/3 vision. I agree with him and maybe add to it that I think that a shot is 1/4 the shot, 1/4 the post-processing and 1/2 vision. You can learn technique, you can learn post-processing, and it's possible to even learn to form a vision. But that's the hardest part. Without vision the shot and the post-processing becomes quite arbitrary and any shot would look quite mediocre even if you'd use the most advanced post-processing techniques and a high-end camera that has no secrets for you. But with a cheap camera combined with some basic post-processing skills and great artistic vision you can create world-class shots. So I'd recommend to think about vision. How do you see the world? What is your perception of the world and all things in it? How do you want to approach your photography? What do you want to convey? What is your vision?

I don't believe in SOOC shots. I believe in the artistic result and in the visualization of the artist of how he/she sees the world. A camera is just a piece of hardware with no mind, no soul, no artisticity, just an object that records a situation, unbiased and emotionless. I'm not interested in the vision of a piece of hardware, I'm only interested in the vision of the artist with a mind and soul, who will alter the image to his reality. It's the difference between photography and art.

I love Black and White photography because with the removal of color the essence of objects, situations, sceneries and people can become more visible. Can become more visible because it's up to you what you do with contrasts, light, shapes and lines to emphasize the essence, or what you see as the essence - no colors that will seduce the eye, only emotion that will capture the heart. If you do it right...